"I have learned that if you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can. Never turn back and never believe that an hour you…
A Look Inside North of the Sun, South of the Moon
Photo: Jonathan and I had our best California buds in town with us this week, so they got to attend the launch party on Friday. A huge treat for me! See more photos from the party at the end of this post. North of the Sun, South of the Moon:…
Emails about life in Norway
Before we moved, I made sure to read several expat blogs written by people residing in Oslo . Talking to people (or reading the writing of people) with boots on the ground is the best way to gain understanding of the day-to-day stuff in a faraway city. Since moving to Norway,…
The Common Lilac
Oslo waxed lilac overnight. Fat and elegantly bunched, they waited until we were asleep to arrive, to place themselves in the trees and bloom. Where one week ago there were only the wet, black branches and sharply-new green leaves of a tardy spring, suddenly blossoms appeared. Purple and white. Immaculate…
I'm on Amazon!
Kindle me! The digital edition of North of the Sun, South of the Moon: New Voices from Norway is available for download. Now, I assure you that you'd be hard pressed to find someone who better appreciates small, independent booksellers than me. I can spend hours perusing, reading, paging, running…
Florence Nightingale Syndrome
I'm a spoiled child. Not only did my husband work from home this afternoon so he could take care of me after my traumatizing morning dentist appointment, but I got to spend a couple hours curled up with my best snuggle buddy. Feeling sorry for me? You should be. After…
Hotel Review: Red Stars Hotel, St. Petersburg, Russia
Though the Red Stars Hotel is more than a mile from Nevsky Prospekt and the other major tourist sights, I still recommend it to those who don't mind a little walking. The staff spoke very competent English, a relief at the end of each long day. They ordered taxis for…
The Kissing Bridge
Never kiss your sweetheart on a drawbridge. If the two sides can pull apart, so can the two of you. On the other hand, sharing a kiss on a solid cast bridge will give you an extra dose of luck and longevity. The Potseluev Bridge in St. Petersburg spans the…